Wheeled vehicle



Sept. 21 ,1926.

l.. A. coRc'oRAN WHEELED VEHICLE Filed Dec. 7. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 sept. 21 ,1926. A 1,600,453

' L. A. CORCORAN WHEELED VEHICLE Filed Dec. v'. 1925 2 sheets-sheet 2 Wl H aki

Patented sept. 21,1926. f

UNITED STATES 'A ,4 1.600.453 PA."I`E`.1NTY OFFICE.1

Louis A. coRconAN, or rNDIANAroLIs, yINDIANA. 1

WHEELED VEHICLE.

Application led December the limbs of a child rider.

The invention has, in harmony with the foregoing general object, for its more particular object the construction of a unitary steering-post, front Wheel fork, steering-post bearing and front Wheel equipped with pedals, which is very cheap, durable and eiiicient and incapable of dissembly except by Vpractically destroying the Whole structure.

y In the accompanying drawings illustrating preferred embodiments of the invention Fig. 1 is a verticaltransverse section of a vehicle constructed inaccordance with my invention and equipped With a front pedalwheel.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical longitudi nal section of the same on the linev22 of Fig. 1.

iFig. 2El is a fragmentary detail View in side elevation of one arm of the fork of the steering post before assembly with the steering Wheel.

Fig. 3 is a ,detail section of front Wheel. j Fig. 4 is a side elevation of one of the disks of the front Wheel.

` Fig. jis a perspective view of the complete vehicle, the front Wheel being devoid of the pedal shaft.

Fig. 6 is ay vertical transverse section of the steering-'post end of the vehicle and of the steering-post and front Wheel shown in p Fig. o.

Fig. 7 yis a plan section on thevline 7-7 of Fig. 6, l

" Fig. 8 is a fragmentary detail section on the line 8 8 of Fig. 7 1

The vehicle herein illustrated is of a very i `Well-lmown type which comprises a' seat11, a pair of rear supporting Wheels 2, a rear axle 3, an axle-yoke 4, a steering-post bear' ing steering-post 6 and front Wheel 7.

7, 1925. Serial No. 73,619.

The seat l'inayv be of Wood as shown in shown inv Figs. 1 and 2. -When madeof sheet metal the seat body-is bordered by a peripheral flange 8 having an overturned free edge, the total de'pthof said seat from the 'top surface to the lower edge of its iiange j 8 is substantially equal vto theY thickness of the Wood structure of Figs. 6 and "8 sothat either the ivo-od or metal seat may be inter-1 changeabiy associated With the steering-post Figs. Gand S `or may be of sheetmetalas 1 bearing and rear axlefyoke.V To this end the metal seat is provided at points Where Abolts for securing the steering-post bearing and the rear axle-yoke thereto, are passed through the same, vWithstrips 9 of channel bar of conventional commercial'type of 3 proper Width,'said strips beingvvelded to the seat and, in the case of the steering-post bearing, co-operating With the peripheralk iiange 3 to firmly hold said bearing in place.

rihe said bearing 5 consists of a1 U-shaped membery having parallel flanges each provided With a substantially centrally disposed opening bordered by a circular rib on embossing lO'for reinforcingthe flange, ther said openings of said flanges being axially aligned. VPerferanions for the passagel of bolts 12 are also provided in the free corner portions of said flanges. The latter are spaced from each other a distance substantially equal to the thickness or ydepth of the seat 1 so that a portion of the latter may bereceived therebetween. i 1 '1 1' 1 Ther steering-post 6, Which includes the fork 13 and handle bar 14, consists oftWo equal parts formed of sheet metal, each thereof presenting a semi-cylindrical portion terminating at one end in a flat projection j 15 and at its other end inone ofthe arms ofthe fork 13. The tivo said component members lare disposed in opposed relation thereby providing a postv having a cylindrical main portion, a pair of opposed contacting projections 15 at its upper end and the 'fork 13 at its'loyverend. Thehandle bar 14 comprises a metal rod passed through align-ed perforations vin the projections 15 and carrying the Wood sleeves 17, the'outer ends of the metal bar being upset like rivets insneh manner and to such an extent asto.

bear forcibly upon the other ends of the sleeves 17 and thusv clamp the same against the projections 15.` j, 1

The shaft of the'front Wheel 7, which may, as shown in Figvl, be a pedal-crank shaft 18 or, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, be substantially only a long rivet 19, is passed through openings in the free or lower ends of the arms of the fork 13, said openings, in Figs. 5 and 6, being perforations, and, in Figs. 1 and 2, being slots 2O receiving the annularly grooved bearing members 21 rotatably mounted on the shaft 18.

In manufacture, the front wheel is ly of the post.

The seat 1 is provided in its forward end with a longitudinal slot 23 of a width (particularly in the case of the wood seat) greater than the diameter of the-cylindrical portion of the steering-post in order to provide room for the projecting ends of the cotter-pin 22. The steering-post as a unit which includes the beari-ng 5, handlebar 16 and front wheel 7 is thus very easily associated with the seat 1 by inserting the front end of the latter between the flanges of the bearing 5 until its extreme front end abuts the middle portion of said bearing. When the bolts 12 have been passed through the perforations in the flanges and through corresponding perforations in the seat 1, the

association of the seat and steering-post is.

complete and the slot in the seat is invisL ible.

VIn the structure of Figs. 1 to 4, the front wheel is somewhat differently constructed than in the case of Figs. 5 and 6 to the end that 'the pedal shaft 18 may be non-rotatably associated with said wheel. As shown in Figs. 3 and et, the wheel consists of two equal opposed dished disks 24: to the inner faces of which the circular reinforcing disks 25 `are welded, said disks 25 being disposed centrally of the disks 24. Thereupon the central openings Q6 are punched through the disks 24 and 25, said openings including .relatively shallow radial extension slots 27.'

' A straight shaft 18 of requisite length to providethe crank extension portions shown 'in Fig. 1, is formed with opposed integral radial flanges 28 midway between its ends,

:said flanges constituting and being herein-` after referred toas keys. These keys are tapered toward their ends and the end portions thereof are engaged in the slots 27 to thereby non-rotatably associate the shaft 18 with the disks of the wheel.y The saidV disks-are now held in a slightly spaced relation to each other, or', in other words, out of surface Contact at their peripheries and must be forced -into VContact and so held while being coupled, preferably by spot welding.

rEhe bearing members 21 are nowmounted' on the shaft 18 on opposite sides of the wheel and the shaft 18 then bent to form the pedal-cranks Q9 on which pedals 30 are rotatably mounted and held by upsetting the extreme ends of the .cranks as Vshown at 31.

The lower ends of the arms of the fork 13 are provided with what may aptly loe termed key-hole slots which include the arcnate portions 32 and the initially tangential i wall portions 33.

dissembled without practically destroying it and, further, that it'presents no sharp projections to injure a child rider. lt will be further obvious that the whole structure can very cheaply be produced.

"lie embodiment of the invention in the specific type of vehicle illustrated is merely exemplary, it being obvious thatl the seat member is merely a frame element having 'a bifurcated endportion for engagement with the bearing, it being quite immaterial whether said framemember constitutes or is vused as a seat.

l claim as any invention:-

1. ln a vehicle, a steering-post comprising two equal opposed rmembers each' semi-cylindrical between'their ends and terminating at both ends'in flat arms or projections, two of the latter constituting a fork, a wheel rotatably mounted in said fork, theflat arms or projections at the other ends of said members disposed in parallel opposed relation and contact and provided with axially aligned perforations, a handle-bar secured to the last-named projections, a bearing on the cylindrical portion of said post, and a key mem-ber for-holding said bearing against longitudinal movement on said post.

2. ln a vehicle, a steering-post comprising two equal opposed members each semicylindrical between their ends and terminating at both ends in flat yarms or projections7 two of thev latter constituting a fork, and bent to `provide shoulders at their junction with the semi-cylindrical portions of said members,a wheel rotatably mounted in said fork, the flat arms or projections at the other ends of said members disposed in parallel @to provide shoulders at their junction withv the semi-cylindrical portions of said members, a wheel rotatably mounted in said fork, the fiat arms or projections at the other ends ofy said members disposedin parallel opposed relation and contact and provided with axially aligned perforations, a handlebar secured to the projections, said handle bar comprising a pair of tubular members, a rivet passing through the same and said perforations for securing said handle bar members to said post, and a bearing rotatably mounted on t-he cylindrical portion of said post and normally engaging said shoulders.

4:. In a vehicle, a steering-post comprising two equal opposed rmembers each seinic vlinr drical between their ends and terminating` in flat arms or projections, two of the latter constituting a fork, and bent to provide shoulders at their junction with the semicylindrical portions of said members, a wheel rotatably mounted in said forli. a handle-bar secured to the projections at the other end of said post, a `U-shaped bearing member having its ianges rotatably mounted on said post, and a key element passing through said post between said flanges of saidV bearing and coacting with said shoulders to hold said bearing against longitudinal movement relatively to said post.

5. In a vehicle, a steering-post comprising two equal opposed members each semi-cylindrical between their ends and terminating in flat arms or projections, two of the latter constituting a fork, and bent to provide shoulders at their junction with the semicylindrical portions of said members, a wheel rotatably mounted'in said fork, a handlebar secured to the projections at the other end of said post, a U-shaped bearing member having its flanges rotatably mounted on said post, and a key element passing through said post between said flanges of said bearing and coacting with said shoulders to hold said bearing against longitudinal movement relatively to said post, a frame element engaged between the flanges of said bearing and having a slot in which said post and key element are rotatable.

6. A. vehicle including a frame member provided with a bifurcated end portion, a steering-post adapted to be received in the slot of saidl end portionv forrotation, and a steering-post bearing 'including two "parallel plates connected with and spaced Afrom each other and receiving and secured tothe bifurcated end portion of said frame member,

said plates provided` with axially aligned openings for the passage of thesteering post and with perforations for the passage of bolts for securing said bearing tothe frame nien'iber atpoints removed from the slot in the latter.

. T vehicle including a frame member provided with a bifurcated end portion, a

l adapted to be end portion for t bearing 'consisting' ofy a U- `.t ,fietal member having parallel nanges provided -with openings `h rough whichA said steering-postv passes,

d end `portieri of said frame member bedisposed between and secured to said iand the said slot closed by the mid- A, orticn of saidbearing. l

ln a vehicle, a pedal wheel comprising two opposed equal members'each provided with a central opening including radial eX- tension slots, a pedal-crankshaft provided midway between its ends with key formations for engaging in said extension slots for preventing rotation of said shaft relareceivedV vin the 'tively to the vlieel, and for spacing the parts tension slots, a pedal-crank shaft provided midway between itsrendsv with key formations for forV preventingv rotation ofpsaid shaft-relatively to the wheel, and for spacing the parts thereof from each other, bearing members mounted on said shaft on either side of said wheel, and a steering-post including a forlr engaged with said'bearing members. I

l0. In a vehicle, a pedal wheel comprising two opposed equal members each provided i th a central opening including radial. e5:- tension slots a pedal-crank shaft provided midway between its ends with key formations for engaging in said extension slots for preventing rotation of said shaft relatively to the wheel.v and forspacing the parts thereof from each other, bearing membe s rotatably mounted on said shaft at ither si de of said wheel and each provided with an annular `groove, a steering-post inclu-ding a fork between th'e'arms of which said wheel is received, there being contrac-v rotation, and al engaging in said extension slots'` either side of said wheel and each provided with an annular groove, a steering-post including a fork between the arms of which said wheel is received, the ends of said arms .being bifurcated to thereby provide opposed arms or projections Jfor engaging in the annular grooves of said bearing members, said arms being` bent toward each other to contract the slots bordered thereby forretaining said bearing members in said slots.

1Q. In a vehicle. a wheel, a pedal-crank shaft non-rotatably engaged with said wheel. bearing members each provided with an annular groove, rotatably disposed on said shaft on opposite sides of said wheel, a .steering-post fork having bifurcated ends providing arms engaged in said grooves of said bearing` members and bent to contract the mouths of the slots which they border for retaining saidrbearing members in said slots.

13. In a vehicle, a wheel comprising a pair of dished equal opposed sheet metal disks, reinforcing plates welded to the central portions of said disks, there being central openings in said several plates and disks including radial extension slots, a shaft passing through said central openings andprovided between said disks with key formations engaging at opposite end portions in said radial extension slots for non-rotatably engaging said shaft with said wheel. y l' 14. In a vehicle, a wheel comprising afpair of dished equal opposed sheet metal 'disks7 reinforcing plates welded to the central portions of said disks, there being centralopenings in said several plates and disks including radial extension slots al shaft passing through said central openings and 'provided between said disks with key lformations eiigaging at opposite end portions in said radial extension slots for non-rotatably ensaid shaft with said wheel, bearing members, each provided with an annular groove, rotatably mounted on said shaft at opposite sioes of said wheel, frame menbers having bifurcated frame members providing projections engaging in said annular grooves and bent to contract the mouths of the slots bordered thereby for retaining said mally spaced apart while permittingpeiipheral portions thereof to be sprung` into contact with each other, said contacting peripheral portions being` secured together to thereby eXeit a yielding pressure on said key-formations of said shaft.

LOUIS A. @ORC/ORAti,` 

